Shaft.



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SHAFT.

APPLICATION IILED SEPT. 24, 1908. 906,465. Patented Dec. s, 1908.

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H. SNYDER.

SHAFT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1908. 906,465. Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY SNYDER, OF MARION, SOUTH DAKOTA.

SHAFT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY SNYDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marion, in the county of Turner and State of South Dakota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shafts, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to carriages and wagons and has special referenceto an improved shaft for use upon the same.

An object of this invention is the provi sion of a shaft which may beapplied offset to the wagon so as to permit of the animal drawing thewagon to travel in one of the furrows caused by the passage of wagonwheels over the road.

The invention has for another object the provision of a shaft of thisnature which can easily be detached from the wagon and which will permitof easy access to the wheel about which it is disposed.

The invention further designs a device of this character which is simplein construction and economical of manufacture so as to produce anarticle which will adapt itself more readily to public use than devicesof this nature heretofore constructed.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription and it will be understood that changes in the specificstructure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claimswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 is a top plan View of the front axle and wheels of a wagonhaving the improved shaft applied thereto, Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same having one of the wheels removed, Fig. 3 is a front eleva tionof the complete device, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a modification ofthe invention, Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same.

Referring to the drawings, designates the forward axle of a vehiclewhich is supported at its opposite extremities by the wheels 11 and 12.The axle 10 is provided at the extremity which supports the wheel 11with a union nut 13 which is engaged over the extremity of the axle 10and also over the inner end of a curved rod 14 which carries a unioncoupling 15 at. its opposite extremity. Secured in the opposite side ofthe union coupling 15 is a U shaped brace 16 which extends forwardlyabout the wheel Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 24, 1908.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Serial No. 454,544.

11 and engages the axle 10 upon the opposite side thereof where it issecured by cars 17 to the axle l0 and which carries a laterallyprojecting rod 18 which extends longitudinally of the axle 10 and whichis curved inwardly at its opposite extremity where it is secured to theopposite end of the axle 10. Intermediately disposed upon the rod 18 isa cross arm 19 which is secured to the axle 10 at its rear extremity andwhich extends a slight distance forwardly beyond the rod 18 where acoupling member 20 is rigidly positioned. The U shaped brace 16 isprovided with a coupling member 21 adjacent its outer extremity which inconjunction with the coupling member 20 supports the shafts It is thusseen by this construction that one of the shafts 22 is disposed upon theouter side of the wheel 11 while the other shaft 22 is positionedintermediately of the wheels 11 and 12 thus offsetting the shaft toenable the animal drmving the vehiclc to travel at one side of thevehicle.

The curved rod 14- is employed for the purpose of quickly detaching orpositioning the wheel 11 by means of the removal of the nut 13 and unioncoupling 15. It is readily seen that by the removal of the members 13and 15 the curved rod l-l is detached from the axle 10 and the brace 16which allows a clearance sutlicient for the passage and positioning ofthe wheel 11.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the axle 23 of the vehicle supportsthe wheels 24; and 25 upon its opposite extremities and carries a unionnut 26 upon one extremity to secure the wheel 2 1 in position. The unionnut 26 also carries a curved rod 27 which is pivotally connected to ashaft coupling 28. The shaft coupling 28 rigidly carries one extremityof a curved brace 29 which extends upwardly over the wheel 24L and iscurved outwardly at its opposite extremity to form a brace rod 30 whichis rigidly secured to the axle 23. A second shaft coupling 31 ispositioned upon the brace rod 30 intermediately thereof to support theshafts of the wagon.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising acurved brace secured at its inner end to the axle of a vehicle, a curvedrod secured to the outer extremity of said brace, union nut carried uponthe extremity of said curved rod for engagement with the outer extremityof the axle of the vehicle, a brace rod laterally extended from saidcurved brace and positioned longitudinally of the axle, a cross armintermediately disposed on said brace rod and shaft couplings mountedupon the forward extremity of said cross arm and the outer end of saidcurved brace.

2. A device of the class described comprising a U shaped brace,forwardly extended about a wheel of a vehicle and secured to the axlethereof a laterally extended rod carried by said brace and secured atits 0pposite ends to the axle of the vehicle, a cross arm intermediatelypositioned upon said rod and shaft couplings mounted upon said cross armand said brace for the purpose of pivotally supporting the shafts of thevehicle.

3. A device of the class described comprising a curved rod, a union nutdisposed upon said rod and upon the extremity of an axle for supportingsaid rod, a shaft coupling pivotally disposed upon the forward extremityof said rod, a U shaped brace extended over the adjacent wheel of avehicle, a brace rod laterally extended from said brace and secured tothe axle of a vehicle and a shaft coupling intermediately disposed uponsaid brace rod.

4. A device of the class described comprising a rod longitudinallydisposed upon an axle of a vehicle, a U shapedbrace disposed at oneextremity of said rod and extended about the 'wheelof a vehicle, theouter extremity of said brace being secured to the axle of the vehicleand a curved rod mounted between the outer extremity of the brace andthe axle of the vehicle for the purpose of allowing the withdrawal ofthe wheel from the vehicle.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY SNYDER.

Witnesses:

C. L. Jonas, S. V. JONES.

